Extending Current Theories of Cross-Boundary Information Sharing and Integration: A Case Study of Taiwan e-Government

Yang, Tung-Mou

ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, State University of New York at Albany

Information sharing and integration has long been considered an important approach for increasing organizational efficiency and performance. With advancements in information and communication technologies, sharing and integrating information across organizations becomes more attractive and practical to organizations. However, achieving cross-boundary information sharing and integration is a complex task. Information is usually scattered across organizations, and challenges are encountered when conflicts of value, goal, and culture exist between partners. This research explores how initiatives of cross-boundary information sharing and integration are carried out, what the influential factors and their interactions are, and how the effectiveness of initiatives is evaluated. An integrated conceptual framework based on the e-Government and information management literature is proposed to guide this exploratory research. The research is conducted by employing a case study of Taiwan e-Government. Data are collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed by using grounded theory techniques. This study provides new insight about the types of information being shared and the purposes of information sharing. While centralized information systems were found to be an important strategy to facilitate cross-boundary information sharing, overall there is still a competition-and-cooperation relationship among the different approaches of information sharing. The complexity of cross-boundary information sharing is explored by uncovering the existing boundaries from both the vertical and horizontal dimensions, and a variety of influential factors are identified from the technological, organizational, legislation and policy, and contextual perspectives. Legislation and policy factors have the most influence on the extent of sharing and its level of success. Organizational complexity and technological factors are considered to be relatively easier to address. The centralized information systems were found to help government agencies cross the boundaries of information sharing and cope with influential factors to reduce the complexity. Lastly, the effectiveness of cross-boundary information sharing is evaluated by using four constructs, information quality, system quality, service quality, and public system service quality. The four constructs are also further conceptualized into more detailed and measurable dimensions. The findings of this exploratory research enhance the current theories of cross-boundary information sharing and integration and contribute to the current information-sharing literature from an international perspective. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]